Good news, basketball fans. The 2013 NBA Draft is only a day away. And as one would expect, trade rumors are flying and draft speculation is everywhere. Here's links and notes from around the league to help make sense of the pre-draft news:

» Drafting sixth overall, the New Orleans Pelicans will have to wait to see who is available after five players come off the board or trade up to grab the player they want most. NOLA.com's Jimmy Smith offers his three best options for who he thinks the Pelicans should select Thursday night. Smith's top choice would be UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett, who addresses the Pelicans need for scoring output from the forward position.

It was telling this week that Pelicans general manager Dell Demps made a personal visit to Anthony Bennett for an interview. There's obviously an interest there. ... He's coming off rotator cuff surgery to his non-shooting shoulder and he'll need time to switch to the small forward spot but it would be the move to make. He can score, which the Pelicans need at the small forward spot.

In this video, Smith, fellow Pelicans beat writer John Reid and NOLA.com sports reporter Rachel Whittaker discuss the Pelicans' draft priorities for Thursday's NBA draft and their predictions for how the team will use its sixth overall pick:

» While most of Thursday's draftees will come from big-name programs in money-making conferences, Lehigh's C.J. McCollum will arrive in the NBA via an increasingly rare path.

McCollum spent four seasons at Lehigh and didn't declare for the draft until earning a degree in journalism. And while his on-court skills are certainly what has earned him lottery pick attention, his off-court attributes make him an even more valuable asset to a team. From LehighValleyLive.com's Connor Tait:

“The wonderful thing about C.J.’s story is he truly embraced the role of student athlete,” Lehigh University men’s basketball head coach Brett Reed said. “He’s embraced both roles and applied himself with great integrity both on and off the court.”

Justin Lafleur, Lehigh men’s basketball sports information director, said, “C.J. has been an integral member of not only the basketball program, but also Lehigh athletics and the university as a whole. He is a very mature young man who is a positive influence to everyone around him.”

» Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a shot at trading for Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love, but new Timberwolves president Flip Saunders didn't bite. In a podcast with Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, Cleveland.com contributor Chris Fedor said that while the Cavaliers trying to trade for Love may have been a "pipe dream," it shows the team is swinging for the fences in preparation for next season.

Moore and Fedor also answer fans' questions, discuss who will be available at No. 19 for the Cavaliers and which player is worth trading the No. 1 pick.

From The Plain Dealers Jodie Valade, the Cavaliers are showing interest in trading for last season's No. 5 overall pick Thomas Robinson, who was drafted by the Sacramento Kings and then traded to the Houston Rockets. Cleveland wants Robinson in exchange for its No. 19 pick, according to the Houston Chronicle.

In coaching news, the Cavaliers hired Jim Boylan to be the lead assistant coach on Mike Brown's staff. Boylan is a longtime NBA assistant coach who most recently served as the interim head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks last season after Scott Skiles was fired. (From the Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer)

FILE - In this March 3, 2013, file photo, Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) dribbles upcourt during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State in Ann Arbor, Mich. Burke is a possible first round pick in the NBA Draft on June 27. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

» Former Michigan point guard Trey Burke has seen his name in the papers a lot in the last two months. Burke led the Wolverines' run through the NCAA tournament and saw his draft stock soar, but that was just the beginning.

MLive.com's Nick Baumgarder offers a look back at Burke's wild ride from the biggest stage in college basketball to being a potential lottery pick in Thursday's NBA Draft.

Even at the top of the second round, there aren't many guarantees, though the Pistons have hit relatively consistently there, particularly with Jonas Jerebko (No. 39) and Chase Budinger (No. 44) in 2009, and last season's All-Rookie second-teamer Kyle Singler (No. 33) in 2011.

From the 2012 class, No. 39 Khris Middleton is guaranteed to be with the Pistons next season and No. 44 Kim English likely will be.

The Pistons might treat this year's two second-round picks quite differently and are likely to seek someone who can help immediately with the earlier pick.

» The Philadelphia 76ers need a big man in this year's draft, and many mock drafts are pointing to Pittsburgh seven-footer Steven Adams as the answer — a potential draftee 76ers fans can only dream will be as successful as Philadelphia's last, 'The Answer.'

To some, Adams is a project and would require an entire season of D-League play before making an impact in Philadelphia. Andy Glockner of Sports Illustrated questions if the potential is there in Adams to ever be a dominant big man and lists Adams as one of the potential busts in the draft.

Here's NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks' take:

Will the Sixers bite? There is no denying the team's need for a big man, especially with it looking like Andrew Bynum will not be returning. The argument could be made that in a weak draft class, any pick the Sixers make is going to be a project- especially at No. 11. They could do worse than taking a shot on a player that at least has the size they need. In many ways, it would serve them better than taking a point guard that might be more prepared to play now, but also would be blocked by an established starter on the team.

Plus, while Adams might be projected to need D-League time on other teams, as long as he can run and jump, it's hard to imagine he won't be able to beat out Spencer Hawes or Kwame Brown for playing time.